Monday, June 27, 2016

PULLMAN AND HOMESTEAD

National Guard at Homestead, Pa.

Cortland Standard and Weekly Journal, Friday,
July 29, 1892.

Pullman and Homestead.

A
syndicate article by T. C. Crawford, published in a number of last Sunday’s
newspapers, described the town of Pullman, Ill., as one of the few places in the
world where labor troubles are unknown. It is interesting, says the Buffalo Express,
to compare this town of Pullman with Homestead and learn, if possible, why the workingmen
in the one place are prosperous and contented while in the other they are
rebellious and riotous and under guard of state troops.

The two
towns are of about the same size and in both the inhabitants are mainly workmen
employed by a single large corporation. In Pullman about 6,000 men work for the
Pullman Car company. Wages range from $1.75 to $8 a day. The average pay of the
workmen is $600 a year. Here, at the outset, is one point where the Homestead men
are better off. While the minimum price for unskilled labor is a trifle lower
than at Pullman, the yearly average is higher. There are comparatively few
unskilled laborers employed in a big iron factory, and the average yearly wages
of the 4,000 Homestead men probably approaches $800.

None of
the Pullman workmen owns his own home. This is the great distinctive feature of
the town. The houses were all built on a uniform plan by the Pullman company.
They are equipped with modern improvements—sewers, water, gas, etc.—and are
rented to the men at a low price. The rental is said to be so low that those workmen
who are able to own their homes find it more profitable to rent and invest
their money elsewhere. There is no philanthropy in this, however, for it is
understood to pay the Pullman company an interest of 5 per cent, on the
investment. But here again the Homestead men are better off.

They not
only can own their homes, but the majority do own them. Furthermore, the
Carnegie company helps them to build homes. It loans them money and takes mortgages
on the buildings as security. Some Democratic papers, by the way, have enumerated
this as one of the sins of the company by which it oppresses labor! It also
takes charge of the workmen’s savings, when requested, paying them legal interest
on what it borrows, thus providing them with a safe and profitable investment.

The wages
of the Pullman workmen are fixed, but the company keeps a reserve fund which
enables it to give continuous employment and avoid reductions during hard
times. The same plan, of course, prevents wages from going up in good times.
The Homestead men are paid by a sliding scale, getting increased pay when the
firm prospers and reduced pay when times are dull. In this particular the Pullman
plan probably works better for the men than the Homestead, though most workingmen
would prefer the latter as being more independent. In Pullman there is one
policeman. In Homestead there are, in ordinary times, four. No saloons are
allowed in Pullman. Homestead people decide such matters for themselves.

It would
appear that in nearly every point the Homestead workman is better off than his Pullman brother. Why isit that in Pullman there has never beenbut one strike, while in Homestead
therehave been frequent
collisions, culminatingin the
present disastrous affair? Soon after Pullman was founded the men struck at the
dictation of a Chicago labor union. The works were closed one week. There was
no disorder and the men resumed work at the old terms. Atthat time most of them belonged to unions. Since then
they have left their organizations. They are, Mr. Crawford reports, satisfied
that they are too well off to need a union. In Homestead the Amalgamated
association has hitherto been supreme.

It is a sad commentary on the ability of workmen
to take care of themselves that the plan of reducing employes [sic] to the
position of tenants and of governing them like a big family should work better
than the plan of encouraging them to be independent and freeholders. Few will
admit that the Pullman idea is a good and logical one. Why does it work better
than others? The Express believes that the answer to this is found in the
influence of the Amalgamated association. By this we do not mean to condemn the
principle of workingmen organizing for mutual help and protection. We heartily
believe in that, provided the organization acts in an honest and law-abiding
spirit. But such unions as the Amalgamated association depend for their
existence on perpetual agitation and constant war between capital and labor.
They are wrongly governed and are based on wrong, often on lawless principles.
Their history shows that they do much more harm to the workingmen than good. There
is an excellent hint for employers in the statement that unions died out in
Pullman because the men felt that they had no use for them—at least, for the kind of unions which promote
strikes.

The following from the Utica Herald of
yesterday will well express the sentiments of a great many Cortland people: “The
torrid wave which we have been warned of as coming eastward, got here Monday with
every accompaniment of a roast. And the telegraph tells of more to come. The 102
deg. average on the St. Louis parallel Sunday may reach us to-day if its
progress isn’t interfered with by “electrical disturbances.” There is some
consolation in the thought that there can not be in reserve anything very much
worse than what we have had. A little more won't be of consequence anyway.
Those who lived through Monday are fortified against a half dozen degrees more.

These white heat waves are conducive to
reminiscenses [sic], and at this distance seem to quicken one's thankfulness that one
lives in a city whose streets were a little while ago piled full of snow banks
ten feet high, Those banks are pleasing memories as one swelters under 94 deg.
in the shade. How we could welcome them now, for a few minutes. It is cooling
to think that their like is pretty sure to be seen again, bye and bye. Meanwhile,
try the flannel shirt. Take the shady side of the street. Let cold water run on
the wrists. Get in the bath tub. Go to the beach, or the river, or the sea, if youcan. If, like newspaper
workers, you belong to the order of men to whom all conditions of weather are
alike, have patience with the fretful. Don’t hurry.
Don’t exert yourself to inform your neighbor that “it’s hot.” Be hopeful. There never was a “heated spell” before
this which did not yield to nature's treatment.

Proposition
for a Settlement.

New York, July 28.—It is stated that Chauncey
M. Depew, who sailed yesterday for England, took with him a proposition from
the locked out Homestead men to Mr. Carnegie. The proposition for a cessation
of troubles is said to provide that the workmen will give up everything for
which they have contended; will sign the reduced scales proposed by the
Carnegie works, and will permit the scale agreement to expire in December
instead of June, provided the Amalgamated association of Iron and Steel workers
is recognized as an association.

Alexander Berkman.

Brief
Sketch of Berkman.

WICHITA, Kans., July 26.—Alexander Berkman,
the would-be murderer of Mr. Frick, spent the first three years of his life in
America in Kansas and Colorado. He worked here in a German printing office for
four days in 1886, while tramping his way to Kearney county, where is a colony
of Russian Jews, among whom he remained for two years, taking part in murderous
county seat fights of that time.

From there he went to Garden City, Kan.,
where he worked at the case [sic] until one day he suddenly got up from his stool,
left the office and picking up a big rock, hurled it through the window,
striking down the foreman of the office, who was alone at the time. He entered
the room, tumbled everything on the floor and left town. He next turned up at
Pueblo, Col., where he was imprisoned for stabbing a man. When he got out he
went east. During part of the time he was with his compatriots in Kearney
county, he acted as local agent for some sewing machine company.

He was always morose and very violent when
angered.

O’Donnell
Goes to the Sea Shore.

PITTSBURG, July 26.—Hugh O’Donnell, accompanied
by his wife, leaves on the noon train for New York to complete the mission that
was interrupted by the issue of the warrant against him last week. Before
returning he will spend a month at the seaside to regain his health. He will
retain counsel while absent to take proceedings against the Washington Post for
suggesting that he was identified with Mr. Berkman.

BREVITIES.

TUESDAY, JULY26.

—Geo. W. Ripley, the manager of the Marathon
opera house, will give a social and dancing party in that place on Friday
night, July 29.

—Meteoric showers (shooting stars) may be
looked for on July 27, August 1, and from August 5 to 11 inclusive. During the
last of these dates the showers may be expected to be the most brilliant.

WEDNESDAY, July 27.

—Over three hundred people left Cortland on
the excursion to Sylvan Beach this morning.

—A goodly number of tickets are being sold
for the Presbyterian picnic at Van Bergen
park, Tully lake, on Friday.

—Mr. E. H. Patterson, the late night operator
at the D., L. & W. station, has the position of night operator on the
Lehigh Valley road at Van Etten junction. His place here has been taken by Mr.
E. Wilber.

—A Cortland lady who recently enjoyed the
hospitality of Mr. H. D. Freer at Taughannock Falls, says that the locality is
unsurpassed for beauty, while every comfort and convenience is afforded the
guests.

—The village trustees of Homer came down to
inspect the stone crusher this afternoon with a view to purchasing one for use
in their corporation. They were much pleased both with the machine and with the
advantageous manner in which it is mounted.

—Last Monday evening Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Perkins
of Reynolds-ave. were invited to tea at the home of their parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Albert Howe, of Maple ave. There Mr. and Mrs. Perkins found some twenty other
guests and to their surprise the two seemed to be the central figures in the
group of their friends. Suddenly it occurred to them that it was the fourteenth
anniversary of their wedding, and the whole thing was explained. A very
pleasant evening was passed.

THURSDAY, July 28.

—From 7:30 to 8:45 o’clock this morning the
thermometer rose from 80 to 94 degrees.

—The monthly meeting of the board of managers
of the hospital association will be held Monday, Aug.1, at 8 P. M.,in
the hospital parlor.

—A challenge has been posted for a road race
to Little York and return for the Scorcher medal on Monday evening. The present
holder of the medal is E. B. Richardson.

—The work of repairing the paving on
Main-st. has begun. This morning a number of the worst spots were filled with
crushed stone, which it is hoped will pack and make a permanent filling.

—Will Jaquett, the winner of the 10-mile
road race on the Fourth of July, made the 15-mile run to Little York and return
last night in 53:10. He was timed by Dr. E. M. Santee.

—Mr. Edgar Palmer received word yesterday of
the death of his sister, Sarah Palmer, in Tallapoosa, Ga., where his parents
now reside. He left this morning for Tallapoosa and hopes to reach there in
time for the funeral.

Cortland Driving Park.

The
Races To-day.

July 27.—The impromptu races at
the Driving Park this morning between the Cortland
horses resulted as follows: